Tröegs Mad Elf - Tröegs Brewing Company

bigfnjoe

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a Dogfish snifter. 2010 vintage

A- pours ruby red with no head at a. Disappointing pour on the head

S- nice cherry aroma, with a little bit of Belgian yeast in there too. Awesome.

T- a year of age does a lot for this beer. The cherry and honey are turned way down, but it's still very flavorful, but not as sweet

M- medium bodied, on the thick side

O- I cannot drink this beer fresh. It is too sweet and boozy. With a year of age, it's much more drinkable, but I'm not an overly huge fan of it like many in the area are. Give me Nugget Nectar any day over this.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 03:20:10 | More by bigfnjoe

rlee1390

Indiana

3.83/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A-Clear ruby red with some carbonation. One finger head but it doesn't last long.

S-Cherries, more cherries. Some underlying malt but mainly cherries.

T-Cherries are not as overpowering as in the nose, good deal of spices start to sneak in as well. Good balance between the cherries and the spices.

M-Medium bodied but a little thin/watery with little carbonation.

O-Not sure what much of the fuss was about with this beer it was good but not great.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2012 14:41:22 | More by rlee1390

aranheaney

New York

3.53/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Got this one a little after the holidays, but still psyched to find it:

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a DFH snifter:

A-Ruby-red, little head and a tiny bit of lace

S-cherry, malt and booze

T-kind of a mess, maybe my sinuses are throwing me off, but it's a bit like cherry cough syrup

M-kind of thin

O-I expected more...

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2012 15:58:15 | More by aranheaney

pschul4

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Thanks for this one Alex!

Shared with Bigbobo before doing our Econ homework (Shoutouts to Marcus Casey!)

A- Pours a caramely brown with little head that recedes almost immediately leaving very little lacing

S- Strong dark fruits with some alcohol kick in the background

T- Cherries and some honey in the back but the dark fruits steal the show. Plums and figs kick your palate around but in a good way. Slight burn on the back end

M- A little too much carbonation for my liking. Not over the top but it could be a little smoother

O- I'm very impressed. I generally dislike BSDAs but this one is a winner. Can't wait to determine my cost/benefit analysis of drinking this beer

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2012 00:15:20 | More by pschul4

garuda

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz brown bottle, 2011 vintage

A - Brilliant cherry red, clear, a white soapy head at first that dissipates quickly, leaves little lacing.

S/T - Big yeasty nose, with some of the honey sweetness as well, and a touch of a rusty coin on the back end. Taste follows the nose, with a more pronounced sweet cherry mid palate, finishing with slightly tart cherry, honey sweetness, and a bit of booze. As it warms, it gets a similar to a cherry cordial.

M - Medium body, surprising considering the abv, with a lively medium carbonation, finishes mostly dry.

O - One of the beers that get me hooked on craft. I always look forward to its release each year. I still find this to be a solid beer, which I can't say about many of the beers I once thought were good.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2012 00:37:15 | More by garuda

uustal

Rhode Island

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours ruby red with the slightest of off-white heads. Vanishes right away. Belgian spices and hints of cherry on the nose. Alcohol as well. Belgian spicy start to the flavor, not too agressive, but present. A bit of a saison-like funk as well. Viscous malts follow. Sweet, thick, caramel malt, hints of alcohol and the slightest hint of woodsy vanilla. Cherries and a bit more crisp spiciness closes it out.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2012 05:02:51 | More by uustal

BuxMontBeerLover

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This was on-tap at Revivals Restaurant in Perkasie, PA.

Severed in a standard pint glass.

A - A deep, reddish brown color when presented with the brew. Mostly opaque. Little to no head on the beer. Moderate lacing left on the glass.

S - A slightly alcohol smell mixed with a fruity sweetness.

T - A decent beer. A mix of dark fruits like figs and cherries along with a caramel-like sweetness. The alcohol is pretty noticeable. I savored this for about a half-hour. Not a beer to be rushed through.

M - A pretty heavy beer. A heavier consistency.

O - I liked this beer but not something I'd return to. I like trying all sorts of beers but this isn't quite good enough for me to drink if I come across it again.

Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

02-11-2012 20:37:11 | More by BuxMontBeerLover

CraftBeerTastic

Pennsylvania

2.68/5  rDev -30.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Ba Review #123
Served On: 02/05/2012
Glassware: Plastic Pilsner Glass
Labeled ABV: -
Date/ Code: -

Got this on tap from the Tröegs kiosk at a Hershey Bears game on Super bowl Sunday. Was not expecting this particular offering to be at a hockey game. All I can figure is they are trying to get rid of this season's batch.

Look: The beer was surprisingly clear and was a dark copper with a reddish hue. There was no real head, but a sticky film was present and hung around the entire time.

Smell: I noticed the Belgian yeast esters first. Then some sweet fruitiness. I want to say Lambic qualities - maybe?

Taste: The palate was hit with a medicinal sweetness at first. Then the Belgian funk set in. Things seemed to thin out in the middle with a residual sweetness and a dry finish starting to set in. The alcohol seemed well masked until the end. Also as the beer warmed, I noticed more heat.

This was a good brew. The higher ABV was incorporated very well. This was not like any Belgian Strong I’ve ever had before. Not a real fan of fruit-themed beers.

Serving type: on-tap

02-08-2012 18:03:59 | More by CraftBeerTastic

nickthetick

Maryland

4.13/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: pours a clear reddish amber into a Mad Elf tulip with two fingers of tan head that hang around a bit and leave little lacing.

S: cherries, vanilla, caramel, honey, plums and light citrus.

T: mirrors the nose well. A lot of cherries, plums and berries are right up front. The sweetness of the honey and caramel does not go unnoticed and makes the tart berry and cherry more recognizable. There is an alcohol sting.

MF: medium body, just a bit chewy, light effervescence and just a tad warm.

O: a great beer! I love it when this comes out, I buy it every year.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2012 02:11:35 | More by nickthetick

TechTriumph

Virginia

2.83/5  rDev -27.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

From notes on 12/19/11:
2011-12 release, batch #: 110920; Poured in a snifter.

A - 1/2" of off-white frothy head that dissipates very quickly; Clear, dark, ruby red color that reminds me of cranberry juice; No lacing to be had

S - Unique smell here for sure; Lots of cherry smelling cough drops, slightly herbal, and hints of ginger spice, berries, and red wine

T - Very sweet up front with a mix of cherry flavor and ginger-like spices; I would describe the cherry flavor as being much closer to cough syrup than natural; The finish is slightly tart and spicy with a decent dose of alcohol burn and warmth

M - Lighter side of medium bodied and fairly crisp, which is surprising considering the ABV in this beer; Some carbonation present; Somewhat creamy, but also syrupy mouthfeel; A bit of alcohol taste and burn found mostly in the finish

O - I must say that I was a little disappointed with this beer. It wasn't all bad for me, but the cherry cough syrup taste combined with a decent amount of alcohol presence prevented this from being too drinkable. I bet some age would improve this beer quite a bit, but I'm not sure I could purchase this one again.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2012 03:05:56 | More by TechTriumph

JerseyKirk

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: amber red, small head, reddish, white head.

S: cherry, apple, honey, sweet, sugar.

T: cherry, honey, smooth, slight malt.

M: sweet, thick, syrupy. Delicious.

O: delicious. Super scary easy to drink. Love to cellar and do a vertical. Awesome high octane without sourness from the fruit.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2012 20:17:24 | More by JerseyKirk

cosmo4u

New York

3.45/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

tap takeover at holy smoke

Tröegs Mad Elf is a very clear and dense, coppery red ale with a thin, sand colored head that fades to a film and leaves decent lacing on the glass. It has a very strong, sweet aroma of cherries. Deeper in the nose is a medicinal note. It’s pretty full bodied and syrupy with a slightly sticky finish. It has a pretty sweet flavor. Cherries are prominent but so is resiny wood. A little green bitterness comes in at the finish, along with black pepper. The aftertaste is kind of oaky and spicy.

Serving type: on-tap

01-29-2012 15:05:57 | More by cosmo4u

avalon07

South Carolina

3.58/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured from a bottle to a goblet. Had a ruby color and a cloudy consistency. Almost no head to speak of. Very little lacing either.

S: Lots of cherry in the aroma, along with yeast as well.

T: Tasted of malt, cherries, yeast, and some indeterminate spices. This is a very boozy beer - especially in the finish - and it almost derails the flavor.

M: A well-carbonated beer with a harsh (because of the alcohol) finish. Full-bodied.

O: An uneven beer, to say the least. It has some good qualities, but others are less impressive.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2012 13:10:25 | More by avalon07

greenmonstah

New Hampshire

3.08/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle poured into Allagash chalice

A - Very aggressive pour eked out a one finger head, tan in color. Red-amber in color with plenty of bubbles pouring up from the bottom.

S - Sweet cherry. Belgian yeast producing some banana esters. A bit of cinnamon spices the beer. Not picking up much honey.

T - Cripplingly sweet, even overly so. Booze is powerful, but covered largely by the sweetness. Tons of cherry. Sweet sweet cherry, not dark. Cherry cough syrup. Way too medicinal for my tastes.

M - Medium to full in body, with a slight dryness in the back of the mouth at the finish. Wet and sticky otherwise.

O - Overall I just don't love to drink it. It tastes far too medicinal. The alcohol and the cherry juice drown everything else out and keep me from really enjoying this one.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2012 00:56:23 | More by greenmonstah

jhartley

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a snifter glass.
Received a 6 pack for a Christmas gift.

A-Great looking label! Bottle imprinted with 2011-2012 Batch#110812. A beautiful ruby red-brown color, almost looks like iced tea. 1 finger head that quickly dissipated. Not much lacing.

S-You definitely know there's cherries in this one! Also picking up on the malts and a somewhat raisin like smell; tart.

T-Cherry right away leads into a nice maltiness and finishes with a nice alcohol bite. Sweet N Tart. For sure a Belgian style. Really pick up on the honey at the end

M-Tangy, tart and sweet. Enough alcohol at the end to cut the sweetness.

O-A great holiday/winter warmer for sure the 11% abv kicks in at the end, you want to be careful how many of this you're going to drink and be careful once you get up. I definitely could not drink this one all the time, but it was/is very nice for a change of pace. If you're a fan of Belgians; give this one a try.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2012 20:47:27 | More by jhartley

Infamous7100

Ohio

4.08/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a near copper, mostly clear with a nice two finger head. Lighter than most Belgian darks.
S: some dark fruit and certainly cherries. I am getting hints of honey, but I belieive its being a tad overshadowed by the malt. Not as much spice or evergreen notes as most holiday ales.
T: follows closey to tne nose. Not quite as much dark fruit flavor as most traditonal Belgian darks, but still very good. A tad more boozy/sweet than one might like, but I can't complain.
M: Lighter than one would think and not nearly as harsh as an an 11% abv would lead you to believe. Its a sipper, but it is smooth.
O: a great beer, not just a great holiday beer. It is expensive, but worth it. Age one if you get the chance.

Serving type: on-tap

01-20-2012 04:55:13 | More by Infamous7100

lnashsig

Texas

3.23/5  rDev -16.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Many thanks to mjtiernan for sending me this one. He is an honorable man indeed, we had a bet over the Texans vs Cincy playoffs (Abyss vs Parabola) and in addition to the agreed upon Parabola, he threw this and Goose Island Black Out Stout in the package. I'll certainly be trading with Matt in the near future. Now to get to the review. Poured from bottle into Victory tulip glass. Pours a crystal clear amber color. No head at all to speak of and tons of alcohol legs. Smell- booze! raisins, prunes, cherries, brown sugar, burnt creme brule. Taste- BOOZY! raisins, dark cherries, very strong alcohol phenols. Some bitter notes on the end, but this one is a dark fruit boozy bomb. Just really not much else there. Mouthfeel- very little carbonation at all. The booze dominates.

Glad to have tried this, but it is just a little bit too boozy for my liking and lacks complexity.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2012 00:24:45 | More by lnashsig

DarthKostrizer

California

3.7/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Alucard4 for sharing this one with me

Look: Reddish brown in color and partially translucent with a 1/8 inch head an no retention

Smell: Cherries and Cherries

Taste: The flavor is not as much of a 1 way street as the nose is but it is pretty close. Again upfront is some cherries and they are just a bit tart and behind that is just a touch of figs

Mouthfeel: Medium body and very little carbonation and a bit syrupy

Overall: This is beer is pretty much what it claims to be. A Belgian dark ale brewed with cherries so if that is your thing and you love cherries you will love this truth be told I could do without ever drinking this again. The 11% alcohol is very well hidden

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2012 05:28:30 | More by DarthKostrizer

drummerjon2112

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This is a very good beer. They say they brew it with honey and cherries, but when drinking it you don't really get the honey notes as much as you get the cherry notes. Overall a great holiday beer and with the ABV being 11% it is sure to keep you warm on those cold winter days!

Serving type: on-tap

01-18-2012 05:04:58 | More by drummerjon2112

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz Bottle

Appearance - Clear amber/copper colour with a large size fizzy off-white coloured head. There an average amount of carbonation and there is some faint lacing. The head lasted for only 2-3 minutes.

Smell - Malts, caramel, cherries, grapes, yeast

Taste & Mouth - There is an average amount of carbonation and I can taste malts, cherries, grapes, and some cloves. There is also a touch of banana and some candied sugar. It ends with a cherry sweet aftertaste.

Overall - This one actually reminded me somewhat of the Midas Touch by DFH. It's not terribly complex tasting, but the alcohol is well hidden and it isn't as cloying as I expected. I'll pick some up again next winter.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2012 19:49:48 | More by spinrsx

hosehead83

Ohio

3.43/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz. bottle (vintage 2010) into a Sam Adams bubble glass.
Clear copper/amber in color, with a very short, very brief head of foam.
Aroma-Honey and cherry essence.
Taste-Spicy yeast, honey faint cherry. Flavors are muted and very mellow. Rather flat body but very smooth, as high ABV not evident. A fresher bottle might have gotten a better score.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 18:14:19 | More by hosehead83

AlCaponeJunior

Texas

3.28/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Reddish colored and pretty clear, zero head and essentially zero lacing.

Smells sweet and spicey, cinnamon notable, cherries also notable.

Taste is very powerful, tons of fruitiness, cherries and figs, plums, herbal and earthy notes, very noticeable alcohol.

Finish is dry and tart, body is slick and syrupy, almost a bit sticky.

I'm not super impressed with this one. A nice one off but not my favorite in the style by any stretch.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2012 15:47:13 | More by AlCaponeJunior

mdvatab

Indiana

3.13/5  rDev -19.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Received as an extra in a recent trade.
Poured from 12oz bottle into a large red wine glass.

A: Sweet bubble gum, freshly-sliced apple, some banana, and a clovey yeasty spiciness. Not a bad.

A: Copper with a tinge of ruby. Excellent clarity. The one-finger off-white head, however, does not hang around for long, and leaves a thin ring of fine bubbles around the inside of the glass.

F: Apple, banana, cherry, clove, light cinnamon, and caramel. A bit cloying and one-dimensional. I got tired of it after a few sips.

M: Medium-low carbonation, and medium-low body. Light heat (actually less than anticipated, though).

O: Not horrible, but again, not too much to it. No head retention, and a bit cloying. I have one more bottle, which I'll probably drink at some point, but I wouldn't buy this one if it were available here.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2012 22:09:06 | More by mdvatab

wingman14

Ohio

3.53/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark red/copper with a small off white head that didn't stay for long. The smell is sweet and yeasty with cherry and malt. The taste is very sweet, the yeast and fruit are very pronounced, but just a sweet beer overall. The high ABV is noticeable while sipping, but doesn't detract from the beer or mouthfeel. A medium body, good carbonation, and decent flavor balance. If the sweetness was taken down a bit this could be a top notch beer, but overall enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

01-14-2012 03:46:41 | More by wingman14

MaxBrewell

West Virginia

4.22/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Pours a ruby-red color with a thin layer of an off-white head.

S- Spicy Belgian yeast mixed with sweet cherry, and maybe a bit of dark fruits.

T- Follows the nose with spicy yeast and cherry. Sweetness that finishes with warmth from the alcohol.

M- Medium-light bodied with average carbonation.

D- A pleasant variation on a winter warmer. The spicy yeast and the cherries are something that I look forward to each Winter.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2012 02:02:26 | More by MaxBrewell